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West Virginia›Raleigh County

BeaverWV

A town of 695, settled in 1935.

Is Beaver a good place to live?

Beaver’s average trip to work is 36 minutes, above both West Virginia’s towns (21 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). Among 62 West Virginia towns, just 1 have a lower median household income than Beaver. Beaver has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

A shrinking town

Beaver has shrunk 14% from 2010 to 2020

1,308 counted in 2010 and 1,129 in 2020.

1,3082010
1,1292020

U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts

Nearby attractions

New River Gorge National Park and Preserve and 6 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Beaver. Close and well known come first.

All 16 attractions →
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits

New River Gorge National Park and Preserve: NKS22, Public domain · The Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve: Lisa Strader, CC BY 2.0 · Thurmond: Brian M. Powell (user Bitmapped on en.wikipedia), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Phillips-Sprague Mine: Coal town guy, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Lost World Caverns: Lee Paxton, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Bluestone National Scenic River: Dave Bieri, Public domain

Getting set up

Moving to Beaver: who provides what

Beaver is unincorporated, so Raleigh County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerAppalachian Power17.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBeckley Water CompanyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers91% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesRaleigh CountyRaleigh County provides services here
SchoolsRaleigh County School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn West Virginia you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person until 21 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 21 days before).vote.gov
Who runs elections hereRaleigh Clerk of the County CommissionRaleigh County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2021
ZIP codes25813, 2583225813 92% · 25832 8%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Beaver.

Work & commute

A job hub: Beaver has 1.5 jobs for every working resident and draws in 649 commuters

Most working residents leave Beaver for work: only 4% work in town. Jobs based in Beaver grew to 665 in 2023, 321 more than in 2013. 15% of Beaver residents live below the poverty line, near the West Virginia town median (16%) and above the median of U.S. towns (9.6%).

4%work in town
BeaverWest Virginia townsU.S. towns
Working residents who work in town3.7%14%8%
Below the poverty line15%16%9.6%

Where working residents work

In Beaver4%
Beckley26%
Charleston3%
Daniels3%
Sophia3%
5 mi
median commute distance
665
jobs based in Beaver
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Climate

Compared with most of West Virginia and the rest of the country, a typical July afternoon in Beaver is cooler

The July high in Beaver is 81°F. Beaver has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers.

56″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter25–43°
Spring40–63°
Summer59–79°
Fall43–64°
Oct 21
typical first frost
Apr 22
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Health

How healthy Beaver is

Beaver beats the West Virginia average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 23% of Beaver adults report frequent mental distress. Only 4 of the 62 West Virginia towns we compare have a higher share of adults who feel lonely than Beaver.

BeaverWest Virginia townsU.S. towns
Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES)23%21%17%
Depression (CDC PLACES)33%31%23%
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)18%17%14%
Feel lonely (CDC PLACES)37%34%33%
32 measures vs. West Virginia
1 better30 too close to call1 worse
What stands outBeaverWV
Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth15.4%19.5%
Fewer adults screened for colon cancer61.8%66.5%
Beckley VA Medical Center
3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Housing

A typical Beaver home is worth about $197K

The typical Beaver home is worth about $197,000, up 0.9% in a year, 11% above the West Virginia typical home. 77% of households own their home in Beaver.

$197KZillow home value

Typical home value

Beaver$197K
West Virginia$177K
+0.9%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in April

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Natural hazards

Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Beaver

Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 57% of U.S. communities.

43risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
43Moderate riskLowerHigher
Inland flooding
7
federal disasters paid out here

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Beaver

15pages on Beaver
After high school

Colleges nearby

3 within 15 miles of the center of Beaver

Small town

695 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns
DanielsDanielsBeaver

About Beaver

Unincorporated community in West Virginia, United States

Beaver is a census-designated place (CDP) and unincorporated community in Raleigh County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 1,129 at the 2020 census. Beaver is home to the Southern Regional Jail, which serves the states southern counties of Fayette, Greenbrier, Mercer, Monroe, Raleigh, Summers and Wyoming.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area
4.4 sq mi
Elevation
2,156 ft
ZIP code
25813

Questions about Beaver

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Beaver, WV a good place to live?

Beaver has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.